


What's on the Inside

by fictional_normalcy



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Broken Bones, Family Issues, Infiltration, Interrogation, Kidnapping, Rescue, Whump, locked away, modern day AU, unexpected confrontation, unknown storage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:49:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29630730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictional_normalcy/pseuds/fictional_normalcy
Summary: Hiccup was part of a dangerous job, he knew this. He simply never expected that he would be knocked unconscious, taken to a second location, and interrogated for something he couldn't be expected to know. And little did he knew, his captor chose properly, and came short of getting what he wanted from his victim.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	What's on the Inside

He didn’t understand why he couldn’t move. His eyes had opened to see a hostile standing straight in front of him, his head spinning and eyesight still vaguely blurry. He tried to move his head back, but his neck wasn’t responding. Nothing would respond. His arm wouldn’t move. His back wouldn’t shift position. Any of the attempted actions resulted in a bone-chilling tingle running up and down the limb. 

“What…” His lips would barely move. “Have… you done… to me?”

Even as the words had finally started to escape his throat, he came to realize what had happened. He had been injected with a paralytic. His captors had truly wanted him unable to move. He just remembered his apartment being infiltrated, barely able to pull out his handgun before a hostile wrenched him out of a chair. There hadn’t been a chance to load the weapon. He always kept it unloaded to avoid any unexpected firing. Since he was left with hardly any options he swung his elbow into his attacker’s stomach and at some point threw the empty weapon at another assailant. 

Then something struck the back of his head with heavy force, and his face jutted forward before bouncing back. He collapsed to the ground without a second to gain bearings. He wondered when he had been injected with the paralytic. Had it been as soon as he had been knocked into unconsciousness, or had they waited until he started to stir? Of course he didn’t even know how long he had been kept unconscious. 

But as he realized what was going on, it musn’t have been long. Panic coursed him as the man wound another strip of duct tape over his torso. This wasn’t one of the people who had broken in. This was someone different. He could swear he had seen the face of this man before. Not face to face. But rather, on a paper. Or on a computer monitor. He tried racking his brain to try to put a name to his face. It would lead to him figuring out why he had been captured in the first place. 

The tape being wound around his body was going in every which way. He was still conscious of each breath he took causing his chest to rise and fall. There was a strip at his shoulder, his upper arms already pinned to his side.

“Just have to prepare you,” The man muttered.

“Prepare...me…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. 

_ For what?  _ The tape looped over his other shoulder, coming down to snare his wrist. Being brought to be set on top of his stomach. This man was just having a field day in restraining him wasn’t he. He tried moving his head once again, to find that he could only achieve small movements. The paralytic must have been starting to wear off.

“Can’t have you running away now.” He smiled. 

His eyes widened at the sentence. He had been taken because of work. This was an enemy. It was the only explanation. No one would coordinate an attack and knock him out to be taken to a secondary location. His other hand was taped to his side. He didn’t understand why they would take him of all people. His best friend was the one out in the field. All he did was engineer their weapons. Any of his friends in the workplace operated in the field. Any chance he ever had of being promoted was obliterated when his father had died. 

He was stuck in tech forever, where his uncle wanted him to be. He had only been dealing with the situation for two months, three weeks, and four days. During that time Astrid and Eret had tried to persuade him to leave. That he would only be a target for his uncle if he hung around. He had a Master’s in mechanical engineering, surely a company would take him and treat him the way he deserved. He hadn’t left fast enough, he had let doubt linger.

Hiccup was now paying the price. Taken by one of their enemies. Someone who knew where he lived. The man finished binding him, having wrapped duct tape around his torso in at least three layers. They didn’t want him moving. At the perfect time, for the paralytic had released its hold. He could shift his arms, his feet could move. 

“What do you want from me?” He voice flowed out effortlessly. 

He watched his captor scrutinizingly. This was someone he had definitely seen. He tried to recall if it was someone who was a threat when his dad had been in charge, or an enemy his uncle had made. Wondering if it was a file Astrid had shown him when she was telling him about an upcoming mission. The man in front of him was a man who appeared to be in his mid-30s. He had a neatly shaved goatee and piercing dark brown eyes. As he retreated away from Hiccup, drawing to his full height, he could see that he was perhaps 6’2, maybe an inch higher. 

Dressed differently than the men who had infiltrated, and was wearing a black blazer and burgundy dress shirt that fit slimly to his form. His arms went behind his back, and the roll of duct tape disappeared from his vision. 

“You’re here to give me information.” He said slowly. “You may move him.”

He only had a moment to bristle before three men approached, one of them taking the roll of duct tape when the man offered it to them. That one walked away, heading for a door while the other men grabbed what they could of Hiccup and moved him to a nearby armchair. He remembered a name on the side of the picture he had seen. Grimborn. An enemy by the name of Grimborn had him kidnapped.

“And what kind of information do you possibly think I can hold?” Hiccup asked cautiously.

“You’re part of a particularly nasty business young man.” He commented. “None of what’s occurring alarms you?”

“It doesn’t matter how I feel now does it.”

“How long have you been part of the agency?” 

“You were able to infiltrate my apartment, and you don’t know that piece of information?”

“Well the Pride of Berk has its secrets. I would like to see what you can spill.” 

“The only way something spills is when it’s cracked or is improperly sealed. I’m afraid I’m neither.” 

“So you would like me to make a crack. Would that help motivate you?”

“I’ve been at the agency for quite a while.”

“Would you happen to have an accurate number?”

He looked at Grimborn warily. “Four years and nine months.”

“You could be considered a veteran had you joined the military.”

“I followed a different path.” 

“And now that path has led you here.” 

“We aren’t here because you’re judging my decision to join the agency. Just cut to the chase.”

“Your coworkers acquired some items from an associate of mine some time ago. Data, parts, and plans, that were supposed to have come to me had it not been for the Pride of Berk’s interception. I know those items are still lying in your agency. They should have been submitted to the authorities, but there has been no word of their transport. The items for the DHX910, where are they?”

Grimborn didn’t know Hiccup’s orientation. All he had to have known was that he worked in Pride of Berk, but he absolutely thought news of this was given to every single employee? If something like that had truly occurred, it should have passed through his department. It was a device, that would be something he and the other engineers would have to inspect. It definitely wasn’t a mission his friends had accomplished. He had no idea what Grimborn was talking about.. and he knew it was going to cost him.

“The DHX910, it was left incomplete?”

It would have been left unassembled if it had taken under the assumption that it was a dangerous weapon. Although, if the agents who recovered it knew it would be passed to Grimborn, it might indeed be a high risk device. Could it have been something that his uncle had kept secret from him? No. Word would have drifted to his ears. He was one of the higher ups. He knew what each engineer was working on.

“I want my device.”

There wasn’t anyway to deter him. He wanted to know the whereabouts of this  _ DHX910 _ , but in all honesty Hiccup hadn’t ever heard of the device. He didn’t know of this associate who held the device when it was obtained.

“I don’t know where it is.”

“Deciding to stall, are we?” 

“I’m telling the truth. I haven’t held the device in my fingers.”

“Come now.” He strode to the closed maple door and returned with a box.

Setting it on the desk and placing moving fingers inside. His gaze however, remained on Hiccup. Even though he was telling the truth, the man could tell he was withholding details. 

“You’re an engineer aren’t you? How would you not have heard of a device like this?”

“I am, but someone considered me unreliable in handling something like that.” 

“You just said you’ve been with the Pride of Berk for nearly five years. That would mean having plenty of experience.” He finally took out his hand, clutching a hammer. “It would mean trust as well, seeing as how you’ve managed to maintain the same station for that duration of time.”

“You’re real daft if you won’t accept what I tell you. I have not seen your device.”

“The agency isn’t that big an organization that something being sent to me is kept from under your nose. You’re an important young lad, a smart one as well. What are you,” He raised the hammer as he approached him,” in your mid-20s?”

“You, should know.” Hiccup hissed.

“You’d like to find out what I know don’t you.” Grimborn smirked. “Hiccup Haddock, son of the former commander of Pride of Berk. You live in an apartment on Thunderdrum Lane, only a block from your family home. You graduated early from university with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. Yet your only source of paid work is that single agency. I know the information you hold. Now I’m going to ask you again,” He poised the face of the hammer over his left knee, “what are the whereabouts of the DHX910?”

He didn’t know who had taken over after his dad’s death. He didn’t know that his uncle absolutely loathed him since he was a child. If Grimborn had only revealed a little more, said when the device had been taken into Pride of Berk’s custody. Hiccup could have baited him for much longer before he’d threaten with physical violence.

He let out a slow, quiet breath. “Your device has not passed through me.”

Then Grimborn raised the hammer slowly until it was behind his shoulder. “Then it’s time to make a crack.”

He swung it down fiercely, and Hiccup only had a moment to coil into his cocoon of tape before it struck. A guttural scream was ripped from his throat as the hammer pounded into his kneecap. An explosion of pain riddled through his body causing his head to snap back. He could feel the broken bone throbbing with red-hot pain, never-ending and only seeming to grow stronger. The metal stayed on his skin, and Hiccup started to pant, occasionally squeezing his eyes shut before opening them. Could it get any worse than this?

Grimborn leaned forward, a single finger tilting Hiccup’s chin upward to see him. Another bolt of pain shot up his leg, and a groan seeped out through his grit teeth.

“You’ve never seen any of the data? The wires and panels that held its technology?”

“No.” Hiccup said bitterly. “Nothing of the sort.” 

“I don’t think you’d like me to strike the other one.”

This was why they hadn’t bothered to bind his legs. The knee was one of the strongest parts of the body. If both of them were struck out of commission, then-

“I feel that you have more to tell.”

“I’m telling you all that I know about the device.”

“No. You aren’t.”

There would be no benefit to telling Grimborn that he had no idea what he was talking about. He had a small nasty thought that maybe he should put his own uncle under the microscope. Confessing to this enemy that he truly hadn’t heard of the device could result in him being killed all the more quicker. But stalling wasn’t doing him any good either. Grimborn was keen on hurting him. 

“They haven’t shown me a single part of the device.”

“What is your current project?” 

“That’s classified.”

“It may be that you’re actually working on my device, and being deceived as to what you’re constructing.”

“I can assure you it isn’t. They can’t fool me like that.”

He tapped the injured knee idly. “Then why can you not tell me what you’re working on?”

“Because that isn’t what you have me here for. You and I both know it’s irrelevant to you.” He said hurriedly as a couple quick gasps escaped him. 

It was at that moment that the door opened, and more men entered the room, carrying something between the four of them. Hiccup tilted his head to the side, able to see gleaming wood. 

“Attention here please.” He hit the knee with more pressure behind the swing. “I really don’t believe you’re telling me the truth Hiccup. You know where that device is, even the smallest little inkling would do.”

“If that device stayed out of your hands then it’s a good thing.”

“It won’t be that way for much longer. I will have it returned, and that will happen when you tell me everything you know.”

They set it down on the ground in his direct vision. It lay on the ground, pressed to a wall. A coffin. An exquisite practically glowing coffin of dark brown wood. It had been thoroughly carved, and seemed to be brand new. Grimborn must have noticed his look of apprehension because he waved the hammer in Hiccup’s line of sight, nearly hitting his face.

“Do you like it?”

“Is it a torture chamber?”

“It is what it looks like my dear Hiccup. It also means that you’re nearly out of time. I’m giving you one last chance.”

One of the men opened the coffin, both sides. 

“I’m going in there either way.” 

“Please tell me where the location of my device is.” He let the hammer fall back into the box.

“My answer hasn’t changed.” He glared at Grimborn. “I don’t have the knowledge of where your device is.”

The men swooped forward. He steeled his neck as they roughly drew him from the chair, letting his legs drag along the ground as they took him toward the empty casket. 

“You’re doing this because you won’t accept a simple answer?”

“I’m giving you time to think,”

They placed him inside, and it was as he hit the inside that he realized it was cushioned at his head and at the sides. But Hiccup knew that once they closed the doors it’d be nothing but darkness.

“And decide on the proper thing to do.”

He heard the door swing shut once again. It didn’t matter if the coffin was cushioned. It was still a prison. He attempted to adjust his position but it was difficult to do so when he was in a cramped space, torso wound in tape, and suffering from a broken kneecap. 

“There’s nothing else I can tell you!” He shouted.

Grimborn had knelt down beside the coffin. He peered inside, looking at Hiccup with a sympathetic yet mocking look on his face. He was doing something with his hands, something he couldn’t see.

“You and I both know that isn’t true. I’m choosing to spare you for the time being. Your mind will change.” 

He raised the roll of tape, placing the extended strip over his mouth. Then an arm looped under his neck, lifting it upward as he wrapped it around his head. Hiccup let out a few words in muffled protest, amidst groans as the actions caused ripples of pain in his leg. How could he be so stupid, how could he believe that doing this would make him confess that he had no way of telling him what he wanted?

“Until then, I suggest you get comfortable.”

He first slammed down the side nearest his feet, and 65% of light was gone in an instant. Darkness was coming to ensnare him as well. Hiccup would have to dwell in the dark with a broken bone and unable to speak. The last thing he saw was Grimborn’s triumphant smirk as he slammed down the other lid. Then he could hear the muffled click of the latches being put into place. He tried to move, but all that gained was his knee crying out in protest and his arms clashing against the sides making small thuds against the cushioned sides. 

He knew he wasn’t claustrophobic. There had been plenty of times where he’d hide in the closet in his house. It was on occasions where his uncle and his family came to visit. He just didn’t appreciate literally being kept in the dark. He hated the sensation of the tape over his mouth. It felt like an addition in restricting movement to his neck. Every now and then, a small groan would strike against the gag as his injury sent red-hot bolts up his leg.

In time, it slowly grew numb. He couldn’t feel anything below the knee. He had no concept of how much time had passed. He tried moving the hand at his side. Attempting to use it as support to try to shift to see if he could push on the lid. There was no tape directly covering the hand or his wrist. Yet the attempts to move only reawakened the pain in his leg and he had to shift back into his original position. Occasionally he’d try to lift the uninjured leg so it could hit the top of the casket.

He had no idea if he fell asleep at some point. If his eyes were closed, it was dark. If his eyes were open, it was dark. Nothing changed. He just kept yelling at himself to give in. That the next time Grimborn opened the coffin he promise to confess that he knew nothing about the DHX910. Then there was the other side of him saying that Grimborn may not even believe the admission. He made a good point, he was an engineer. A five years experience engineer.

How would he not have heard of something like that? There wouldn’t be a benefit to saying his uncle, the new commander, had kept it from him. He could say that the device had been sent out and he just hadn’t been able to discover, though there was a chance Grimborn would deduce that it was a lie.

More time must have passed. Hiccup came to imagine that Heather had come to his apartment asking if he wanted a ride, only to find he wasn’t home. She scoured each room then left the building. He could hear the sound of his uncle laughing scornfully, saying it was his own fault he was in this mess. Suddenly he heard a muffled click. As the lid came away, his vision was flooded with white light. He buried his face into his chest, eyes scrunched shut. Waiting for them to adjust.

He looked up to see Grimborn, smiling down at him. An hand eased into the coffin, tapping lightly at a corner of his mouth.

“Are you ready yet?” He said in a gentle tone. 

He only offered a short bristle, shaking his head all the while as he shifted in his cocoon of bonds. Grimborn sighed, his hand drawing away. As a ringing resounded, the both of them had the chance to share a shocked expression. Grimborn climbed to his feet, drawing a phone from his pocket. 

“Another opportunity.” He noted.

His finger moved to click on the cell phone, but then his eyes drifted to peer upon his victim. A quick nod of his head, then the lid came down once again. Hiccup shouted, not wanting to be encased in the darkness any longer. He really had nothing to say, but he hadn’t soaked in the light while it lasted. Hiccup quieted down, intent on hearing what had interrupted his captor’s interrogation.

“You chose a bad time to be off the grid.”

The thickness of the fabric didn’t allow him to hear the caller’s response. No matter how much he pressed his ear to the cushion.

“I followed your suggestion… he wasn’t that hard to take. It only took a team of three men. But you had to have been lying to me… no, no, no don’t deny it… I know who can be persuaded to talk and who’ll take more effort… the son of the commander isn’t as valuable as you claim... you don’t give him credit where it’s worth.” Grimborn chuckled. “He may have tighter lips than anyone in that agency… heavy force may work for you but it’s different for everyone. Hiccup would like me to use alternate methods… yes, I still doubt you. You told me that the most likely person to be able to tell me about my device was the son of Commander Haddock.  _ You  _ pointed the finger at an engineer who’s been with Pride of Berk since graduation. Since they no longer trust you, you were eager to suggest Haddock’s son… if you really want to save your skin I would suggest telling me what their new commander is up to… well of course he’s worthy of my time...no, if he refuses to talk I’ll make use of him another way.”

He was uncomfortable with what this stranger had revealed about himself. If he didn’t know any better this person who was helping Grimborn may have been part of the team that acquired his device in the first place. Uncle Spitelout may have spoiled their plans on what would happen to it.  _ I have one thing to thank you for,  _ Commander.  _ But someone still wants me gone to have thrown my name at Grimborn. You’re still a suspect. _ Hiccup couldn’t help but feel as if Grimborn was going to open the lid once again. To attempt to torture him due to motivation from this person. 

“Oh don’t fret. I’ll make him talk, even if I have to cut him open to do it!”

But the noises he was waiting for didn’t occur. He heard a grated sigh, then the sound of a door closing.  _ Cut him open _ . He didn’t consider Grimborn as knife-friendly. Judging from the single encounter, he was used to getting what he wanted in a short span of time. Knowing how to cut things short while achieving his goal. Unfortunately, cracking Hiccup was his current goal. He wondered how long his patience would hold before he’d follow through.

He was targeted because of a traitor’s say-so. Hiccup made a promise to himself that no matter what measures Grimborn took, he wouldn’t talk.  Even if he wanted to use his knowledge of Hiccup to turn the next conversation to something unrelated to the whereabouts of the DHX910 . Grimborn may already know that he had no knowledge at least of his device, but wanted to make use of him. 

After a while, he was sure he had fallen asleep. The darkness had disappeared and his cat was cuddled up to his side. When he took the chance to glance away, he could see that he had returned to his bedroom. Toothless, his six-year-old feline with black fur and vivid green eyes, was purring. As he dragged his hand down his friend’s back once more, he felt the vibrations coursing through his body. They sat on his bed, and there was a movie playing in the background, one where a man discovered he could fly. 

He breathed in deeply, able to feel a comfortable pillow at his head, and the feeling of Toothless’ soft fur made him wish he was back home. The apartment had been home for three years. His dad hadn’t kicked him out. He had left of his own volition. It was time to live alone, he had told Commander Haddock. Coming to a compromise, he lived in a complex close to home so he could have dinner with his dad from time to time. Toothless had been happy to move into a place where he could go wherever he wanted. 

Hiccup always kept a window open just far enough for Toothless to slinker through. The playful feline came and went as he pleased. One thing was for sure, he was always sitting on the mattress by the time Hiccup had settled down for bed. He was awoken by the sound of the latches coming free.

The lid opened, and this time Hiccup only allowed his eyes to narrow at the assault of light. However, Grimborn wasn’t there to greet him in this instance. He must have simply opened the coffin. 

The first thing he heard was his voice. “Someone has a vendetta against you Hiccup. I didn’t think we’d have to get to this point, but here we are.”

Grimborn appeared over him, removing a syringe from a bottle. It was full of a clear liquid. 

“I really did hope you’d have changed your mind.”

He tried to struggle, tried to shout. A NO would have sufficed, but even those words couldn’t escape. He wasn’t going to beg for his life. Had he told the full truth or not, an outcome similar to this would have occurred. The syringe sunk into his neck. Dead or alive, the device would not be returning to Grimborn.

* * *

“Are you sure it’s safe for us to be splitting up?” Her voice said quietly over the comm.

“We need to cover more ground.” Astrid responded. “We’re not a battering ram, it’s a search and rescue.” 

“But aren’t we just setting ourselves up to be targets? Viggo will treat this as a game.” Dagur put in.

“You have your training.” Eret joined in. “Find him. That’s our top priority. Not getting captured is the second.” 

“Or killed.” Snotlout said morbidly.

Astrid quietly clicked off her mic. She held her gun in front of her, making sure her partner Eret was keeping pace with her. Eret was also holding a weapon, but occasionally he would pull out a device and wave it in front of them. It had been three rooms that they had already checked. There had been hostiles in each, but they’d been subdued. Thankfully not interrupting the mission. 

“Let’s hope we don’t get into much trouble for this.” Eret said halfheartedly. 

Astrid sighed. “We wouldn’t be disobeying orders if he’d shown some humanity. The commander not wanting to send a rescue squad for his own nephew?”

“I know. I bet if it were his own son he would have raided the building with every agent on duty.”

“If we could be there to see his reaction when he discovered  _ his own son  _ had come on this mission.”

“We came to avenge an injustice. Everyone who agreed to did.”

“I just pray we don’t lose anyone.”

Eret seemed to pull her along as he hastened, not wanting to leave her partner without cover for a second. She looked to her left, then tapped his shoulder. There was a bronze plaque at the center of the door that simply said  **Grimborn** .

“This was one of the rooms we were to check.”

“Then let’s etch it off the list.”

“He may be inside. It’s his office.”

“We knew that when we came there was a chance we’d encounter him. We go in.” He told her, placing a hand on the doorknob.

The door clicked open slowly. As they took careful steps inside, Eret moved the beeping device in a steady semicircle.

“I don’t see him.”

“There’s  _ something _ in here. The radar is picking up a heat signature.”

“Where?” She asked.

“To our right.”

She spotted it in an instant, rushing over. There was a coffin made of gleaming dark wood set to the wall. There was a pad lock at the center where the handles lay.

“You’re sure?” 

He set the device right above the coffin. “No doubt. But whatever’s inside isn’t moving.”

“If there was any place Viggo was keeping him,”

“Anyone else will let us know if they sight him. There are agents in the other rooms with the same devices.”

“Comms haven’t been deactivated yet right?”

“No. But he might already know we’re here if he’s not sitting in his own office.”

“Hand me your lock picker.”

As soon as the item had settled in her palm she flipped her hand and inserted it into the pad lock. They were running out of time. Viggo Grimborn wouldn’t take kindly to infiltration. She didn’t exactly know what he was capable of, but she wasn’t keen on finding out. The lock clicked open, and her hand shifted quickly, pulling off the chains and casting them to the floor. Using both hands, she flipped the latches and pried open a lid. 

“Dear gods.” Eret’s jaw dropped.

There had indeed been someone inside. They had indeed not been moving. The both of them were greeted by the sight of Hiccup. His torso was bound in tape, he wasn’t stirring, and there was a gag over his mouth as well. His eyes were closed, and with the bonds it was hard to see whether or not he was breathing. Eret stowed the device in a compartment at his waist, and clicked on the mic. 

“We’ve located Hiccup,”

Astrid pressed two fingers to his neck. If there was a pulse, there was still a chance of saving him.

“Start evacuating. You know where to head. We’ll be bringing him with us to vehicle A.”

“Do you need backup?” Dagur asked.

“Yes. Viggo may be anywhere in the building. If he knows we’ve got his captive, he’ll try to strike. Only you, Dagur. We made it to his office. The rest of you, head back to the vehicles.  _ Now _ .”

She had pried off the tape from his mouth, but his upper body was a different story. It had been wound every which way. She’d need her pocket knife to cut all the way through. It would require time they didn’t have. 

“He’s got a pulse.” She concluded. “I can’t see any wounds, but I really doubt he kept him in this thing for the entire time.”

“We’ll have to assume it’s internal damage. The sooner we get him out of here the better.” He put a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll carry him. You cover us as we make our way out.” 

“Gotcha.” She propped open the second lid. 

Aside from the bonds, his clothes and hair looked fairly ruffled. He never opened his eyes as Eret slowly took him out of the coffin. His head rolled around his neck, but not a sound came out. There was a pulse, it seemed fairly strong. The quicker they got out of here, the better. Astrid quietly opened the door, her gun held firmly in front of her. A brief glance back, spotting Eret and Hiccup, and they set forward. She was conscious of each step she took, and every now and then would see that Eret was keeping pace with her. 

“Take a shortcut. This room here. It should lead us to a shipping bay.” 

“But the vehicle isn’t waiting here.”

“It’ll keep us from crossing any main rooms. Less hostiles to encounter.” 

“Dagur is taking forever.” Astrid pouted.

“We can’t exactly wait for him. He’ll have to catch up. I’ll let him know.” 

She recognized the building’s layout. What Eret had said made sense. But with her partner having to carry an unconscious Hiccup and the both of them vulnerable, her nerves began to twist and turn.  _ Avoid being taken captive. Get Hiccup out safely. Hope no one was killed.  _ Astrid wasn’t the only agent bearing this in mind. 

“Come on.”

She opened the door, and as soon as the three of them were inside it began to close. There was ongoing construction in the room. There were piles of building material covered with tarps, and a part of the ceiling was missing. 

“Why, if it isn’t the fine workers of Pride Of Berk.”

The voice caused the both of them to stop in their tracks, and Astrid immediately raised her gun toward the threat. Poised directly in front of their exit door, was Viggo Grimborn. Along with a team of three men each pointing guns at the trio. 

“I have to admit, I thought you would be arriving earlier.” He said with a gleam in his eye. “Had a few doubts on whether or not he was worth it?” 

“Anyone of our members is valuable.”

Astrid shifted, so she still covered Eret and Hiccup, but enough to be able to keep an eye on them both. Viggo was the only one not holding a weapon, but she was sure that his men would defend him should she chance a shot. Although, even though he hadn’t exposed a weapon, she considered him capable of pulling something dirty.

“I was beginning to have my doubts, and young Hiccup seemed to be losing his fight.”

“What did you expect?” 

“A negotiation seems more civilized than just breaking into my facility. Attacking my men simply because they were in your way. And all for him. An engineer who isn’t even trusted in the field.”

“Would you have handed him over had we done this in another manner?” Eret said skeptically. 

“It depends on what exactly you had to offer in exchange for him.”

“What you did was inhumane in the first place.” Astrid commented.

“Your fellow agents stealing my property was wrong to begin with. I struck with the same courtesy I was given.”

“What property?” She cast a side glance to Eret.

Astrid had never been out on a mission where they encountered Viggo. Eret had the opportunity, and he had nearly died because of it. She remembered the days he was confined to the infirmary because a bullet had embedded itself in his side and eye nearly gouged out. 

“A device. Known as the DHX910. Acquired by one of your squads on August 17th. I will have it returned. In fact, if you value your freedom, you’ll tell me where it is.”

“Or what? Killing us or Hiccup will do you little good.”

“Hiccup is valuable. So are any of you, as you yourself said young lady. Surrender yourself, or return him to me. Otherwise this will be against your will.”

He reached into a pocket of his suit, and withdrew a small object. It could have been a flashlight, a remote of some sort. There were three buttons on the gray item the size of his palm. But Eret recognized any mechanism like that. It was a detonator. He’d rigged the room. 

“I thought you wanted this to be civilized.”

“We’re far past that at this point.” He aimed the object toward them. “Your final answer?”

Three guns cocked at once. Viggo’s gaze remained solely on the unconscious person in Eret’s arms. For a moment, Eret wondered if he’d done something to Hiccup. Gone as far as attaching something to him that would incapacitate him and Astrid.

“We’re walking out of here, and you’re not stopping us.”

His expression morphed into irritation for the briefest of seconds. “Fair enough.”

He pressed the button. Instinctively, Eret’s grip tightened on Hiccup, thinking the explosion would be immediate. The sound of loud obnoxious beeps rang through the room. Without a final word Viggo and his men exited the room. Astrid took a few steps forward, then her head turned toward something. Before Eret could tell her to come back, there was a single click, and everything went white.   


* * *

Astrid burst to consciousness already breathing heavily. Panic had set in the moment she opened her eyes, aware that she may have to engage in combat. She glanced around the room while her head rolled around her neck, trying to crack any joints. Satisfied that she was still in one piece, and there wasn’t anything on fire around her, she slowly rose to her feet.

“Eret! Please let me know you’re alive!”

“We’re okay.” His voice sounded from a fair distance away. 

She pushed aside some smoldering debris, waving an arm to clear away the smoke. Following the sound of coughs she came to see Eret on the floor, using a spare arm to push aside a half-burned tarp. When she could see him clearly, she could see Hiccup lying next to him. Eret’s arm still wrapped around his knees. He still hadn’t awoken, and she wondered if the explosion had finished him off. Some of the debris had struck his head, and there was a bleeding gash near his right temple. There was a small cut at his neck, little beads of blood sprouting from the cut.

“Still managed to hold on,” He grunted. “But he seemed to take a harder hit than me.”

“An accidental shield.” Astrid grimaced. 

Eret took Hiccup into his arms once again, an arm supporting his knees while the other held his back. Astrid pressed two fingers to his neck, praying that he would move, his eyes would flitter in the slightest. Her wish wasn’t granted, but there was a pulse. 

“I really should have reviewed Viggo’s file better.” She took in a shuddery breath.

“Explosions aren’t a path he usually takes. The bomb wasn’t meant to kill.”

“Just incapacitate. So we would wake up as captives.”

“What did you do?”

“I, I managed to see where the bomb was. Kicked it to the farthest corner of the room before it detonated.”

“Viggo’s right outside that door.”

“He’s got a pulse. We keep moving.” She said shortly. “I think I saw another door. Hopefully it isn’t blocked by the rubble.”

She had to move some objects, but found the door and pushed on the knob. The metal didn’t move, and Astrid pulled out the lock picker for a second time and pushed open their exit. They had only made it a few steps when they heard a rustle in the next hallway. Astrid pulled out her weapon, but soon came to see that Dagur had arrived to back them up.

Once they made it out of the facility, was when they could finally breathe normally. They split into different cars to avoid being followed. Astrid had attempted to make Hiccup as comfortable as she could, and Snotlout had insisted in riding with them. To make sure his cousin was okay, he had said. 

“He’s still got a pulse?” Eret asked from the driver’s seat.

“Yes. But I don’t really see any visible wounds, aside from what he got right now.” 

“His knee is swollen.” Eret looked at him in the rearview mirror. “Give that an inspection.”

“Do you really he think he had him inside there for the entire three days?”

“Well we’ll see what he remembers when he wakes.” Astrid said aggravatedly.

“And when do you think that’ll be?” Eret quipped.

“The faster we return the better. He needs emergency treatment.”

Snotlout had taken out a small pocket knife, slowly cutting away the duct tape, patting Hiccup’s torso every once in a while to ensure that he wasn’t cutting through his clothes and into his skin. He needed to inspect Hiccup’s knee further, but first he focused on freeing his cousin before checking his injuries. He sliced into the corner of the cocoon, before working on prying the strips off of him. He was thankful that his cousin insisted on wearing long-sleeved shirts a majority of the time, because it spared his arms from having any lingering marks. 

He placed tender fingers on his cousin’s knee dragging them the round length of the bone. Indeed there was some swelling, but only Hiccup knew the injury he’d endured. 

“I think the bone could be broken.”

Then he started to stir. Hiccup’s chest first taking a long rise and fall before his eyes slowly opened. He shook his head for a couple of seconds, vision facing the windshield. The moment Hiccup focused on Snotlout he suddenly jerked, moving away from the person in front of him while shouting in alarm. Snotlout raised his hands in a nonthreatening manner, determined to lock gazes with his panicked cousin.

“No, no!” His breathing slowed as their gazes connected. “Blue eyes... blue eyes safe,” He sighed. 

“Hiccup, you’re okay, we managed to get you out, you took-”

He pitched forward, letting out an agonised cry. A startling enough sound that Astrid had turned in her seat and fingers short of clicking her seatbelt free. Hiccup was clutching his knee, fingers cradling the knee as he started to breathe heavily and let out a series of stunted groans. 

“It did take some jostling though didn’t it?” He said in a series of pants. 

“Well of course you were unconscious, one of us had to carry-“

“What injury is it?”

“Broken knee. For sure.” He said through grit teeth. “He almost did the second.”

Snotlout grimaced, looking down at Hiccup’s knee. That this enemy had done this to try to get information from, technically one of his coworkers.

“I’m really sorry cuz.”

“I guess,” He groaned, “that as part of our job we are to expect these things.”

“But you’re not in the field this shouldn’t have-”

“How long was I gone?” He asked to anyone who would respond.

Astrid glanced back at him uncomfortably.   
________________

One of the nurses was gently wrapping a bandage over his knee, needing a few layers before the brace would be added. Hiccup just had the vivid image of the hammer landing squarely on his knee. He had braced for the impact so he had no way of deducing whether the hit had been direct or if it had strayed from the center. Either way, any movement sent an electric zap of pain shooting up his leg.

“You said that he tried to prevent the rescue?” He forced himself to look away from his knee to look at Eret.

“Stopped us in the room where he’d set a bomb. Told us that we could either surrender ourselves or we’d be taken captive by force.”

“Well first he  _ requested  _ we give him back his engineer.”

Then the door clambered open, the rubber doorstop preventing it from damaging the wall.

“Can I help you?” The nurse asked indignantly.

“Commander Jorgenson wishes to speak with you.” His second-in-command Hoark looked at the gathered group.

The two of them glanced at Hiccup, as if seeking his last second approval. He merely gave a small groan as another red-hot bolt shot up his leg.

“We’ll see you after you’re patched up.” Astrid smiled.

“Just give our report and we’ll come back.”

“Actually, he wants all three of you.” Hoark added.

Her smile melted. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

Her hand curled into a fist. Astrid turned to the nurse. There had to be someway to prevent this from happening. 

“He really can’t wait? This man has been through torture, let him get his treatment first.” They said exasperatedly.

“The commander has to know he’s here. He really needs all three of us right now?” Eret narrowed his eyes.

Hoark nodded solemnly. “Immediately. He said that as long as Hiccup was conscious he demanded he be in his office.” 

“Don’t you have any authority?” Astrid demanded to the nurse.

“I can’t override the commander.” They let out an irritated breath through their nose. “Let me get you a wheelchair. There’s already been too much strain on the bone.” 

He’d also been given some painkillers to relieve the ache of his knee, and Hiccup felt they helped him calm down somewhat as they went to see… his uncle. He could deduce that Astrid and Eret had to see him due to his rescue mission apparently having been against orders, but why the commander wanted to see him? He really didn’t think it was out of the kindness of his heart, to see of his wellbeing. Lieutenant Hoark held the door open for them and Astrid wheeled him inside. 

Commander Jorgenson already lay in wait for them, standing from his desk and a stern expression on his face.

“Agents.” He said in greeting.

To the two others. Not deigning to look down at his nephew. Astrid gave a small bristle of her shoulders, but she and Eret saluted their superior, as did Hoark. Hiccup did as well, but as said before he could have been a tiny gnat. 

“I have been informed by my son of what exactly your unapproved mission entailed.” He said as he sat, finally laying eyes on Hiccup. “Rescuing an engineer in the hands of Viggo Grimborn.”

They waited in silence, not knowing if the commander would come to shout, or if he saw the mission as having worked in his favor. 

“Which was successful.” Eret said in an even tone.

“Evidently so,” The commander narrowed his eyes, “but you risked your own capture as well as those that accompanied you. Have you forgotten Agent Erikson, just how large Grimborn is of a threat to us?”

“Yes sir, hence why it was necessary to execute a rescue mission. One of our own in his hands would endanger Pride of Berk.”

He nodded, but Hiccup couldn’t help but feel that he was about to blow. Of course he knew his uncle extensively compared to the other agents in the room. Their mission had been unapproved, meaning the commander didn’t order Hiccup’s rescue. He would’ve left him there to rot in the coffin. 

“You were successful.” He concluded. “And my son is okay… but I can’t say the same for my nephew.”

Hiccup straightened in his seat. Focus now on him, which frankly unnerved him. 

“Did you reveal anything?”

“I maintained the Pride of Berk’s secrecy.” 

Although not of himself.

“Did he hurt you?”

_ Well that much must have been distinct, considering I’m in a wheelchair. _

“Only a broken knee.” He reported. 

“He didn’t do anything more?” He pried.

“Just kept in isolation, sir.”

“Perfect.” 

He leaned back in his seat, a smile growing. His blue eyes swept over to his second-in-command.

“Do it.” 

He moved to open a drawer at the desk. Hoark came up to Hiccup and he saw the man pull out a scalpel from his pocket, removing the sheath. Eret had come to defend Hiccup but Hoark shoved him aside. The commander rose from his chair and rounded the desk. The lieutenant took Hiccup’s left arm, ripping the sleeve. 

Astrid rushed toward the two, but the commander stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder, pushing her back. 

“This is in no way-”

“You are to stay back.” He ordered the two agents. 

Eret and Astrid showed visible outrage, but they obeyed the order. The thought running through Astrid’s head of what exactly was to occur. They rescue Hiccup from a horrific circumstance, and the commander chooses to attack him as well? She couldn’t help but think their superior was a traitor. 

Still holding Hiccup’s arm, Lieutenant Hoark set the scalpel on his skin. He heard a silent ‘I’m sorry’ before the sharp blade sliced into the flesh. Dragged a short length from just below his elbow, straight line aimed toward his wrist. Hiccup shouted, yanking his arm away as blood began to spill from the cut. The second-in-command had just stepped away, when Uncle Spitelout swooped in, looming over him. Bringing a set of tweezers out, and inserted them into the wound. 

Hiccup gasped as the tweezers dug into the wound, widening the inflicted cut and causing more blood to stream down his skin. He tried to wrench his arm back as they sunk in deeper. In response his uncle seized his wrist in a vise-like grip and pinned it to the armrest.

“Just hold still!” Spitelout shouted in his face.

He grit his teeth, but stayed quiet and forced himself to lay still. His gasps turned to small whimpers as the tweezers continued to shift through the wound as if it were just a merry game of Operation. Then the tweezers eased out, something tucked between the metal tongs. A small bag, only a couple of inches long. Covered in his blood, but he could see something inside. A square of some sort. Commander Jorgenson smiled, holding it up to his eye level. 

“It’s still intact.” He mused as he went to sit back down. 

Hiccup pressed his hand to the wound, already taking heavy breaths as he thoughts of the stitches that would have to be given.

“What, is that?” Astrid said in a forced calm.

The commander leaned forward, plucking a few tissues out of a cardboard box. He wiped Hiccup’s blood off of the bag, then slid it so it could be seen under the view of the desk lamp’s light. An electronic chip sat inside the plastic bag, a small pulsing green light at a corner. Uncle Spitelout had been right. It was still functioning.

“A processing chip.”

“And why was it inside Hiccup!?” Eret roared.

A finger tapped his shoulder. Hiccup looked up to see Hoark holding out a blue towel.

“You’re going to need this.” He said. 

He took it gratefully, holding it over the wound with as much pressure as he could muster. He was terribly angry, nearly seeing red, but it wasn’t toward this man. He was simply following orders, of someone who wouldn’t shed a tear if he died. 

“It had to be kept somewhere.”

“And that had to be _in_ _his_ _body!_?” Eret shook his head in disbelief. 

The commander shrugged his shoulders. “It’s the only thing he’s useful for.” 

“You knew that thing was,  _ in  _ him and you didn’t order a rescue!?” Astrid yelled.

“You were giving Viggo an open invitation to slice him open.” Eret said angrily. 

Hiccup bitterly remembered what he had overheard between Grimborn and the mysterious caller.

“He is one of our only enemies who is capable of it. But think Erikson, how would I have ever guessed that Grimborn was going to target a mere tech worker?”

If it weren’t for the fact that he was currently bleeding and in pain from a broken bone, Hiccup would have already dashed out of his seat and attempted to slug his uncle in the face. He was willing to bet neither Astrid or Eret would stop him. He willed himself to sit still, also knowing that the cut had been opened wide enough by his uncle, his actions could worsen it.

“What exactly is the processing chip for?” Astrid said tonelessly.

“That damned DHX910.” Hiccup grumbled.

“So Viggo was,”

“Seems he is still looking for the device.” The commander responded. “And that he chose properly. He asked you for his device?”

“He knew it’d been taken into our custody, demanding to know what came of it. He broke my damn knee over it!”

“What exactly became of that device sir?” Eret asked through gritted teeth. 

“When I became commander, I had the entire device destroyed. All that remained was the chip, which had somehow survived any attempt at disintegration. I needed a suitable place to put it. Since we didn’t have a containment unit capable of storing such a thing so effectively, I decided a body was the best option. Using my nephew was my best option. Who’d slice into the arm of an engineer?”

“He nearly did so.” Hiccup whispered. 

He tried his best to keep his mind off of what Grimborn could have done had his friends not come for him. 

“What?” His uncle said with a hint of anger.

“I overheard a phone call, where he said he would cut into me if he had to.” 

“Hmm.” But as he looked back at the chip he grinned. “How is your progress on your latest assignment?”

“Your storage unit for that.” Hiccup groaned. “We’re in experimental mode right now, or at least to my knowledge.”

“Good, hopefully it will function better than your measly skin.” 

“What if Viggo retaliates?” Eret questioned.

Astrid could see her partner’s shoulders tightening, recalling that dealing with him wasn’t pleasant in the least. 

“I can assign another team to gauge his movements. I expect detailed reports in two days. You’re dismissed.”

The lieutenant opened the door for them, and Hiccup could that the towel had almost completely darkened. Feeling slightly disoriented, and it didn’t help that he hadn’t eaten or drank in three days. 

“Oh and Hiccup. You can have the rest of the week off.” Commander Jorgenson said with a devious smile.

They stayed silent the entire way to the elevator. A faint hiss escaped Hiccup when the wheelchair jostled into the mechanical transport. As soon as the doors closed and it began to move was when they finally spoke.

“That damned monster!” Astrid slammed her fist into the wall.

“I swear I never knew that thing was inside me.” Hiccup said hurriedly.

“Hiccup if you don’t submit that letter of resignation I’ll do it for you.” 

“I’ll start looking when this leg is healed up. Nobody will take a disabled worker.”

“Start looking now Hiccup. Who knows what he’s capable of doing now that he knows you’re confined to a wheelchair for who knows how long.” Eret urged.

“It can’t get any worse than what he did.” 

“How could he consider someone’s body a suitable place in holding a chip that’s crucial for the device of an enemy?” Astrid pressed the heels of her hands to her forehead, then thrusting them outward. 

“Makes you wonder how long it was actually in there.”

“How did you not realize it sooner?” Eret asked.

“Well I guess you don’t quite feel something in there. I can fathom a guess of when it was put inside though.” Hiccup stared at the ground. “After my uncle became commander, he called me into his office. About two months ago. Informed me I would remain in my station. I wasn’t able to put up much of a debate. I vaguely recall mentioning my dad, then I woke up in my bed. I noticed there was a cut on my skin when I showered later, but I assumed I had just nicked myself during work. I should have given it more thought.”

“So he really did it without your consent. The commander risked the livelihood of any agent in here, because he didn’t inform anyone of his actions. I doubt anyone has heard of the DHX910 aside from those who actually went on the mission.”

“Although,” Astrid frowned, “it is utterly convenient that Viggo captured you, of all people.”

“Someone turned me over. When he had me locked in there, the phone call. They knew about my dad. They even told Grimborn about my degree in engineering.” He shuddered. “Thank the gods he never got the chance to cut me open.”

“Luckily the squealer didn’t know Jorgenson had stuck that inside you. We do need to find out who has the vendetta before they wreak any further havoc.”

His friends left him as he returned to the medical ward. The nurse grimaced as they saw the injury Hiccup had been given. 

“We’ll have to get you stitched up first. It seems your wound has become more urgent than your leg.”

He nodded, glad that he would finally be receiving treatment. But it would be a long road to recovery.   


* * *

Heather was there to greet him as he exited, saying she had somewhere to take him. She didn’t cast him any looks of pity, and Hiccup could see she was forcing a compassionate smile. There was truly nothing good about the situation, but he would admit a mood improved with a smile. 

“I’m glad we got you back in one piece.”

“And at a good time too.” 

They came to the empty cafeteria, well not entirely empty. All of his friends had loaded a table with food. Pies, roast chicken, enchiladas, ice cream containers, and enough liquids to satisfy a Scauldron. 

“A feast for an ailing friend.” Snotlout started propping open a plastic container with flan. 

“I can’t eat all this by myself.” He said.

“That’s why we’re here!” Ruffnut shouted. “Someone needs to be with you right now, might as well be all of us.”

“But, don’t you guys have jobs to do?” He nervously asked.

“We risked a mission that wasn’t scheduled, the commander can’t get any more pissed.” Tuffnut smirked. 

“Let’s eat people come on, Hiccup needs this.” 

As they ate, Hiccup could admit that he did feel incredibly better. Here with friends who truly cared about him, and also seemed to want to stuff him to the brim with how much food they continued dumping on his plate.

“I should to let you know that your apartment is still being investigated.” Fishlegs told him.

“It's been three days.”

“And they’re insisting on checking the entire apartment including the surrounding buildings. There is a traitor among us, or perhaps it was someone who was dismissed. Viggo has your info., we need to see just how much he knows.”

“Then, where am I sleeping tonight then?”

“You can stay at my apartment until they let you back in.” Astrid grinned. “Camicazi’s spending the next week with her family so I’d enjoy the company.”

“Thanks.” He glanced at his group of friends. “Who’s been taking care of Toothless?”

**Author's Note:**

> Hallo everyone, hope you liked the read! Any feedback is much appreciated.


End file.
